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One element of the many skills developed as part of a coaching approach is the use of motivational interviewing (Miller and Rollnick 2012). MI first emerged as a means of supporting people to manage significant and enduring addictions; however, its efficacy generally in supporting behavioural change is well documented. It is a collaborative and conversational engagement with the client that does not give primacy to expert knowledge. Rather, this knowledge is offered “just in time” and only when absolutely necessary to support behavioural change. One of the very useful features of motivational interviewing is the conceptualization of ambivalence. Coming from two Latin words, ambivalence literally represents the idea of “both options having strength” to the person. In practice, ambivalence is often seen as a problem to be overcome in the client and this can lead very quickly to the health care provider engaging in an ultimately unhelpful tug of war - trying to “pull” the client towards a particular behavioural change, while the client “pulls” equally strongly, to argue for the value they see in not changing. But ambivalence ought not be seen in this problematic way. Rather, it can be viewed as an opportunity to celebrate purpose and drive. Why? The person experiencing ambivalence is feeling driven towards two (or more) quite different outcomes. If ambivalence can be conceptualised in this way, it ceases to be a “problem to be solved” and can be looked upon as an energy or impetus within the client to be worked with – much better to have a desire for multiple possible outcomes, than no desire for any. We all experience ambivalence, and we experience it frequently throughout life. If you’ve ever scanned a cafe menu and felt an urge for two different breakfast options, or experienced the pleasurable dilemma of being invited to two social events occurring simultaneously, or felt thrilled and terrified at the same time as your roller coaster car crests the top of the rise, you’ve had an experience of ambivalence. How can coaches work effectively with ambivalence, to support client autonomy, and to create the conditions most favourable to health behaviour change in a client? Firstly, employ the fundamental tools of engaging communication and connection – deep listening, reflection of what is being said and not said, and open inquiry to understand more. While there are many types of reflection in interpersonal communication, two approaches that particularly support working with ambivalence are the “empathy” and “double-sided” reflections (Moore, Tschannen-Moran, and Jackson 2016). An empathy reflection seeks to reflect the full experience of the person, not only their words: Client: I really wanted to get to 30 minutes of continuous walking this week, but I just couldn’t. Coach: You’re feeling disappointed that you didn’t reach the goal you set for yourself. A double-sided reflection seeks to capture all aspects of a person’s feelings about change (not only those related to the benefits of change): Client: I know that moving more could help, but I’m just so afraid of ending up in the sort of pain I was in last year. Coach: You’re keen to experience the benefits of more movement, and wary of unintended setbacks too. Learn the signs that indicate ambivalence. It frequently shows up in consultations as a combination of “change talk” and “sustain talk” (Miller and Rollnick 2012) or as the client beginning to redirect or correct your efforts to influence their choice. Change talk embodies the client expressing desires, abilities, reasons or needs to make a change. Sustain talk, on the other hand, represents views expressed by the client which seek to justify or legitimise not changing. As a practise point, it's important to avoid what Miller and Rollnick refer to as “the righting reflex” - the tendency of the practitioner to respond to sustain talk with change talk. This leads to a polarising interaction in which the practitioner more and more strongly occupies the “change talk” space and the client strongly occupies the “sustain talk” space. If this continues, the client will likely become irritated or agitated with the coach and feel unheard and misunderstood. In practice, the polarising interaction could look like this: Coach: If you were to begin to gently increase the amount of exercise that you do, what do you think might be the benefits? Client: Well… I'm not sure. Last time I tried that, the pain in my knees was unbearable. Coach: A short term increase in pain is to be expected here, but it's important that you understand that your condition won't improve if you don't start moving more. Client: But I just couldn’t stand any more pain than I have already… If you think you recognise ambivalence, then don’t just do something – sit there. Resist the urge, if present, to convince the client through force, facts or fear about the imperative of change. Instead, take time to listen and to understand the value that the client sees in continuing along their current path. This can be done by using the decisional balance tool (Miller and Rose 2015). The decisional balance tool provides a means for dispassionately exploring the client’s perceived benefits and disadvantages of modifying their behaviour, and also continuing as they are; however, it is best approached in a particular order, beginning with the perceived advantages of not changing. This “meets the client” at the strongest point of their ambivalence. It also demonstrates a desire to understand the reasons for this and avoids the perception on the part of the client, that the Coach may be pushing for change. From here, move to inquiring of the client the disadvantages they perceive in modifying or changing their behaviour. Once this has been explored and reflected, inquiry about the disadvantages of not changing may be explored and finally conclude with a discussion about the perceived advantages of modifying behaviour. When undertaken in this way, the client has walked systematically through all areas of their perceptions and concerns and if appropriate, the discussion can continue, focused on what the client might do to begin the process of change. A decisional balance process may look like this: Coach: What are the benefits you see for yourself in not making any changes to your exercise and activity habits? Client: Well for one thing I won’t get the pain – it’s a killer when that happens. I really can’t stand it. Coach: Mm-hmm– what about the disadvantages you see in increasing the amount of exercise that you do? Client: Apart from the pain, I guess I'd have to re-organise some things in my day to make time for it. And I'm really not sure if I'd be doing the right thing – it's a long time since I exercised. And I don’t know what’s going to be helpful and what may not be. Coach: OK…you’re uncertain about the steps to take and whether they’re the right ones…tell me about the risks you see in not making any changes? Client: All the things you and I have spoken about already – my mobility will continue to decline; the pain I get probably won't ever really go away completely. And in a few years’ time I may find that I’m even less able to do things I want to do. And as I say that now, I worry about that because I really want to travel after I retire. Coach: Right – you need mobility for your vision for the future – so what are the benefits to you of making a change to your patterns of exercise? Client: I do know that exercise will help – and I do really want to be able to move around more freely and without pain. My wife and I have been talking for years about walking the Camino de Santiago when we retire… Lastly, remember the central role that autonomy plays in human behaviour. Autonomy is a primary psychological need of all sentient creatures (Deci and Ryan 1985; Deci and Ryan 2010). If you want to see it in action, observe your dog next time you try and encourage him or her to move away from a scent that's exciting and interesting. The drive to preserve autonomy may also be particularly strong in those who have experienced some trauma. Nothing guarantees that any particular client will engage in behavioural change; however, the honouring of autonomy maximises the likelihood that the client will engage in a behaviour that has meaning and value to them and which they will be able to sustain in the long term. So we should not be afraid of ambivalence – instead, quietly celebrate the energy and interest your client has in exploring and experiencing so many dimensions of life. By always honouring autonomy, and systematically reviewing all dimensions of a possible change, we can help build a solid foundation on which lasting change – driven by deeply held values – can be cultivated. Resources: Deci, Edward L, and Richard M Ryan. 2010. "Self‐determination." The Corsini encyclopedia of psychology:1-2. Deci, EL, and RM Ryan. 1985. "Intrinsic motivation and self-determination in human behavior: Springer Science & Business Media." Miller, William R, and Stephen Rollnick. 2012. Motivational interviewing: Helping people change: Guilford press.

Wellcoaches® is a NBHWC Approved Provider Wellcoaches is a proud National Board for Health and Wellness Coaching (NBHWC) approved training program for Modules 1-4. Following that same high level teaching, many of our other courses, trainings, and classes are for National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coaches seeking to expand professional knowledge and meet continuing education or recertification requirements. Our courses are evidence-based and will lead you and your clients to feel confident, inspired, and ready to take action. National Board-Certified Health and Wellness Coaches are required by NBHWC to earn 36 continuing education credits every 3 years to maintain credentialing. Learn more about our NBHWC approved courses below. NBHWC Approved Continuing Education Core Coach Training: Module 1 - This course is the foundation of our approved NBHWC training program and therefore not worth additional CEs. Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction Enhance your impact as a health and wellness coach with evidence-based, leading-edge training from the industry founders. Completion of Module 1 (including 100% attendance, completion of all lesson feedback surveys and a score of 80% or greater on quizzes) is required for course completion and to receive a Certificate of Attendance. ​See all upcoming classes. Lesson topics include:​ ​​Differentiating the coach from the expert How to establish growth-promoting relationships Coaching presence Expressing compassion through empathy Building positive emotions for resilience Eliciting motivation Building self-efficacy Readiness to change Building powerful visions Crafting designs for behavior experiments Creating generative (ah-ha!) moments Appreciative goal review Coaching habits e-course "I personally had such an amazing experience, I honestly didn’t want it to end! Thank you for your time and dedication to our training. You created a welcoming and comforting environment for all of us, which I believe was a crucial part of the training success and how we all felt as participants. I am very excited to have had this opportunity and look forward to continuing to grow and expand my knowledge in the coaching area. I also hope to continue working with you!" - Erica Cook, Wellness Program Coordinator, Clinical Exercise Physiologist Wellcoaches Member Classes - 1 CEC/hr (select classes approved and must meet content requirements set by NBHWC) Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction Cost: $35/month Our Wellcoaches Membership enables you to be well-informed and up-to-date on the latest coaching science, theory and practice so that you are continually upgrading your skills. Each class offers an opportunity to expand your tools and resources while being inspired by thought leaders. Our business development-focused classes prepare coaching entrepreneurs to build their business in alignment with their vision and values. In our Perspectives series we will expand your framework for what it means to be healthy, what it means to be human, and what it means to be a coach for all. This is the easiest and most cost effective way to earn the continuing education credits needed for your Wellcoaches and National Board recertifications! Our Wellcoaches Membership comes with several one-hour classes each month including: 1. Coaching demonstrations 2. Practical coaching skills 3. Business development and start-up 4. Town Hall discussions on hot topics 5. Access archive of more than 80 past member classes Sample classes: How to Have a Good Day with Caroline Webb How to Uncover What You Are Really Selling with Debbie LaChusa Self-Compassion in Action with Ellen Albertson A "Certificate of Attendance" is provided following class attendance, completion of a feedback survey and a score of 80% or greater on a knowledge assessment. "This is a wonderful program with so many fabulous people. The membership could not have served me better" - Gail Garcia Professional Coach Training - 36 CECs Two residential Sessions and 36 virtual, live classes Once you have completed our Core Coach Training & Certification program, start making plans to lift your coaching mastery to a galactic orbit with our 9-month advanced Professional Coach Training & Certification Program. This advanced program is specially designed for our Certified Wellcoaches, Nationally Board Certified Coaches or ICF-PCC/MCC Coaches only. This program is developing the future leaders of the health and wellness coaching industry. We built and continue to upgrade an innovative, science and neuroscience-based, robust coaching framework we call the "Onward & Upward Model" designed to enable Certified coaches to help clients optimize mental and physical well-being. This is a hit-the-ball-out-of-the-park opportunity for Certified coaches who want to be masterful coaches. Lifestyle Medicine for Coaches - 21.5 CECs if enrolled prior to 7/1/26 & 16. 5 CECs if enrolled 7/1/26 and after Self-paced, self-directed e-course Lifestyle Medicine Coaches partner with clients seeking self-directed, lasting changes, aligned with their values, which promote health and wellness and, thereby, enhance well-being. They support clients to engage in the practices of lifestyle medicine, such as healthy diet, regular exercise, good sleep and stress management, in order to become healthier and happier. See overview of curriculum and world-renowned faculty. To earn a "Certificate of Attendance", students must view each of the lessons in full, complete the six knowledge assessments with 80% accuracy, and complete a course survey. "Establishing a standard for health coaches in lifestyle medicine will help ensure that crucial information is consistently of the highest caliber. Coaches reach an enormous number of people, and, with standardized training in lifestyle medicine, they'll have an enhanced ability to promote health and prevent disease. The public can be confident that certified coaches are practicing at a high standard and providing evidence-based guidance. Certified Health and Wellness Coaches who specialize in lifestyle medicine will become integral members of the lifestyle medicine practice team, contributing importantly to the treatment and even reversal of disease." - David Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM, Past President of the ACLM Behavior Change Agent - 5.5 CECs Self-paced, self-directed e-course Improve relationships at work and at home by shifting just a few key behaviors. Based on the most important concepts in our full Health and Wellness Coach Training, this abbreviated course is designed to provide you with essential skills needed to have engaging and influential conversations personally and professionally. The course includes six videos (50-60 minutes each) which explore the cultivation of connection, autonomy, self-compassion, positivity, motivation and confidence. The videos include lecture from Wellcoaches Faculty member, Michael Scholtz, as well as student discussions and coaching demonstrations. A "Certificate of Attendance " is provided following course completion, feedback survey and a score of 80% or greater on a knowledge assessment. Wellcoaches Habits - 10 CECs Self-paced, self-directed e-course The 10-hour habits course includes 8 collections of self-paced video lessons to explore common growth edges that hold us back as leaders and professionals, our signposts for new insights and wisdom. The Wellcoaches habits system is designed for any coach, team or organization that aspires to a culture of coaching where everyone is growing and thriving together. The course includes a Habits Library with several collections to choose from. Our collection includes: Behavior Change Communication Connection Leveraging Emotions Cultivating Capacities Burnout Prevention Transformational Leadership The Declipse Technique ™ (preview here) Each habit (70+ habits to choose from) comes with a 5-10 minute video, resources, reminders and tracker. A "Certificate of Attendance " is provided following course completion and feedback survey for all eight content collections. Module 2 - Cohorts prior to September 2025 =10 CEs (completion of 5 Mod 2 classes) Cohort after Sept 2025=18 CEs (completion of 9 Mod 2 classes) Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction along with numerous e-course offerings. Continue your journey of becoming a certified health coach. Module 2 was created to further deepen coaching skills through demonstration and practice opportunities. Participants will hone in on the specific topics: Organize Your Emotions, Organize Your Mind, Wellness Visions and Generative Moments, Respectful Coaching Practices, Considering Mental Well-being Within Coaching, and Coaching in the Context of the Client’s Environment. A "Certificate of Attendance" is provided following class attendance, completion of 7 feedback surveys and a score of 80% or greater on all knowledge assessments. . NBWHC Continuing Education Requirements Once all requirements are complete, a Certificate of Attendance will be provided to student. Participants will use this certificate to report completion of the course to NBHWC. Have questions about a course? Your Coach Concierge, assigned by the first letter of your last name, is here to support you: Telephone: (866) 932-6224 (866 WE-COACH) Your Last name A - G: Julie Cummings [ext 712 ] Your Last name H - O: Joanna Thomas [ext 743] Your Last name P - Z: Angela Carter-Lanon [ext 742]

The National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC) designates Wellcoaches as a provider of continuing education. Our courses and classes are for Certified Health Education Specialists (CHES®) and Master Certified Health Education Specialists (MCHES®) seeking to develop and enhance occupational skills and meet continuing education contact hour (CECH) requirements. Our courses are evidence-based and will encourage individuals, families, and communities to maximize and maintain healthier lifestyles. Learn more about our NCHEC approved courses and classes below. MCHES® & CHES® Continuing Education Approved by NCHEC Core Coach Training: Module 1 - 47 CECs Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction Begin the journey to become a certified health coach, enhancing your impact as a health educator. Completion of Module 1 (including 100% attendance, completion of all lesson feedback surveys and a score of 80% or greater on quizzes) is required for course completion and to receive a Certificate of Attendance. ​See all upcoming classes. Lesson topics include:​ ​​Differentiating the coach from the expert How to establish growth-promoting relationships Coaching presence Expressing compassion through empathy Building positive emotions for resilience Eliciting motivation Building self-efficacy Readiness to change Building powerful visions Crafting designs for behavior experiments Creating generative (ah-ha!) moments Appreciative goal review Coaching habits e-course “Collaborating with Wellcoaches School of Coaching has transformed our institutional approach to supporting physician well-being. The physicians who underwent training and certification are newly empowered to walk this journey toward meaning, purpose, and engagement with their colleagues, and with themselves. They are well prepared to work 1:1 with their colleagues and are also engaging in small and large group coaching which has been invaluable for improving system-level issues within the institution.” - Kerri Palamara McGrath, MD, Director of the Center for Physician Well-being at Massachusetts General Hospital Wellcoaches Member Classes - 1 CEC/hr (must be pre-approved) Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction Cost: $35/month Our Wellcoaches Membership enables you to be well-informed and up-to-date on the latest coaching science, theory and practice so that you are continually upgrading your skills. Each class offers an opportunity to expand your tools and resources while being inspired by thought leaders. Our business development-focused classes prepare coaching entrepreneurs to build their business in alignment with their vision and values. In our Perspectives series we will expand your framework for what it means to be healthy, what it means to be human, and what it means to be a coach for all. This is the easiest and most cost effective way to earn the continuing education credits needed for your Wellcoaches and National Board recertifications! Our Wellcoaches Membership comes with several one-hour classes each month including: 1. Coaching demonstrations 2. Practical coaching skills 3. Business development and start-up 4. Town Hall discussions on hot topics 5. Access archive of more than 80 past member classes. Sample classes: How to Have a Good Day with Caroline Webb How to Uncover What You Are Really Selling with Debbie LaChusa Self-Compassion in Action with Ellen Albertson A "Certificate of Attendance" is provided following class attendance, completion of a feedback survey and a score of 80% or greater on a knowledge assessment. "This is a wonderful program with so many fabulous people. The membership could not have served me better" - Gail Garcia Lifestyle Medicine for Coaches - 21.5 CECs if enrolled prior to 7/1/26 & 16. 5 CECs if enrolled 7/1/26 and after Self-paced, self-directed e-course Lifestyle Medicine Coaches partner with clients seeking self-directed, lasting changes, aligned with their values, which promote health and wellness and, thereby, enhance well-being. They support clients to engage in the practices of lifestyle medicine, such as healthy diet, regular exercise, good sleep and stress management, in order to become healthier and happier. See overview of curriculum and world-renowned faculty. To earn a "Certificate of Attendance", students must view each of the lessons in full, complete the six knowledge assessments with 80% accuracy, and complete a course survey. "Establishing a standard for health coaches in lifestyle medicine will help ensure that crucial information is consistently of the highest caliber. Coaches reach an enormous number of people, and, with standardized training in lifestyle medicine, they'll have an enhanced ability to promote health and prevent disease. The public can be confident that certified coaches are practicing at a high standard and providing evidence-based guidance. Certified Health and Wellness Coaches who specialize in lifestyle medicine will become integral members of the lifestyle medicine practice team, contributing importantly to the treatment and even reversal of disease." - David Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM, Past President of the ACLM Behavior Change Agent - 5.5 CECs Self-paced, self-directed e-course Improve relationships at work and at home by shifting just a few key behaviors. Based on the most important concepts in our full Health and Wellness Coach Training, this abbreviated course is designed to provide you with essential skills needed to have engaging and influential conversations personally and professionally. The course includes six videos (50-60 minutes each) which explore the cultivation of connection, autonomy, self-compassion, positivity, motivation and confidence. The videos include lecture from Wellcoaches Faculty member, Michael Scholtz, as well as student discussions and coaching demonstrations. A "Certificate of Attendance " is provided following course completion, feedback survey and a score of 80% or greater on a knowledge assessment. Wellcoaches Habits - 10 CECs Self-paced, self-directed e-course The 10-hour habits course includes 8 collections of self-paced video lessons to explore common growth edges that hold us back as leaders and professionals, our signposts for new insights and wisdom. The Wellcoaches habits system is designed for any coach, team or organization that aspires to a culture of coaching where everyone is growing and thriving together. The course includes a Habits Library with several collections to choose from. Our collection includes: Behavior Change Communication Connection Leveraging Emotions Cultivating Capacities Burnout Prevention Transformational Leadership The Declipse Technique ™ (preview here) Each habit (70+ habits to choose from) comes with a 5-10 minute video, resources, reminders and tracker. A "Certificate of Attendance " is provided following course completion and feedback survey for all eight content collections. Professional Coach Training - 95 CECs Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction and two on-site sessions Once you have completed our Core Coach Training & Certification program, start making plans to lift your coaching mastery to a galactic orbit with our nine-month advanced Professional Coach Training & Certification Program. This advanced program is specially designed for Certified Wellcoaches®, Nationally Board Certified Coaches or ICF-ACC/PCC/MCC Coaches only. This program is developing the future leaders of the health and wellness coaching industry. We built and continue to upgrade an innovative, science and neuroscience-based, robust coaching framework we call the "Onward & Upward Model" designed to enable Certified Wellcoaches® to help clients optimize mental and physical well-being. This is a hit-the-ball-out-of-the-park opportunity for Certified Wellcoaches®, Nationally Board Certified Coaches or ICF-ACC/PCC/MCC Coaches who want to be masterful coaches. The course includes: Two 2.5 day on-site sessions in January and September each year 32 ninety-minute virtual classes with the ability to practice new tools and skills in class, including 8 group coaching sessions. Six private mentor coaching sessions with feedback from coaching masters regarding the application of Wellcoaches protocols and International Coach Federation Competencies A reading list of over 20 carefully chosen books written by scientists and psychologists with a strong evidence basis A "Certificate of Attendance" is provided following class attendance, completion of a feedback surveys and all mentoring sessions. "The great thing about the PCT is not only the professional growth that you get from all of the tools and skills that you learn from all of the mentor coaching, and from all of the great Wellcoaches faculty, but the greatest value is the personal growth. The books that you read and the way that you process all of the new information is truly life-changing and transforming. It makes you a better professional but, more importantly, it makes you a better person." - Noah Gentner, PhD Module 2 - 10 CECs Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction along with numerous e-course offerings. Continue your journey of becoming a certified health coach. Module 2 was created to further deepen coaching skills through demonstration and practice opportunities. Participants will hone in on the specific topics: Organize Your Emotions, Organize Your Mind, Wellness Visions and Generative Moments A "Certificate of Attendance" is provided following class attendance, completion of 4 feedback surveys and a score of 80% or greater on all knowledge assessments. Module 2 PLUS - 8 CECs Module 2 PLUS prepares coaches to support the whole patient by building awareness of mental health conditions, cultural dynamics, and the broader environmental forces that shape health behaviors. Across four courses, coaches will learn to recognize mental health warning signs and make appropriate referrals, develop cultural competence and humility, examine their own biases and assumptions, and explore how Social Determinants of Health and ecological systems influence a patient's perspectives and well-being. Through self-reflection, skill-building, and practical application, coaches will emerge equipped to practice with greater cultural responsiveness, psychological awareness, and respect for each patient's unique lived experience. . NCHEC Continuing Education Requirements Once all requirements are complete, a Certificate of Attendance will be provided to the student. Wellcoaches will also report your name, and any hours you have earned to NCHEC. NCHEC receives reports 4 times per year in January, April, July & October. Have questions about a course? Your Coach Concierge, assigned by the first letter of your last name, is here to support you: Telephone: (866) 932-6224 (866 WE-COACH) Your Last name A - G: Julie Cummings [ext 712 ] Your Last name H - O: Joanna Thomas [ext 743] Your Last name P - Z: Angela Carter-Lanon [ext 742]

Dr. Angelika Maria Koch shares a powerful story about how her career and life path ultimately came out of a “primal experience” as a young mother when her son was sick many years ago. During this experience while living in England, she shares she wasn’t getting the guidance she needed from the doctor, so she then consulted a homeopath and the remedy didn’t work and she was facing the weekend with a sick child. After discussing taking him to the emergency room, her husband suggested she get quiet, go inside herself, and then encouraged, I know you’ll know what to do. She said this was not a typical conversation they would have and it was out of character but she went along with the idea. She said she was surprised but she was able to get in touch with her inner voice. She recalled thinking, this is an intense situation and I need it (the remedy) in a higher potency. She went back to the pharmacy, got the remedy in a higher dose, and within 24 hours her son was doing well. A week later, she enrolled in a 4-year homeopathic training. Fast-forward many years later, Koch is now living in the United States and has consistently continued her education. She is a doctor of Natural Medicine with her own practice Medica Nova, has a master’s in herbalism, and has accumulated 18 years as an adjunct professor at the University of New Mexico. She teaches courses in Integrated Health Coaching & Integrative Medicine. Koch continues to share her personal story to illustrate how important it is for people to tune into themselves. For her students at the University of New Mexico, a health coaching course is part of the Bachelor of Science and Liberal Arts Degree. She said they start out in the course, because it’s a requirement but, “down the road, they realize this is fantastic.” She says they learn life skills and how they can apply these skills with clients but with themselves first. “They realize this is really interesting,” and she says usually halfway through the semester, she gets calls asking if there is a way to learn more about coaching. For Koch, she has one answer, “Wellcoaches, that is what you have to go for.” “Wellcoaches has such a kaleidoscope of resources. Although it’s based on health and wellness it’s really a universal and unique school which provides a diversity of life skills; from positive psychology to the meditative part to truly hands-on coaching skills.” Koch became a certified coach because, as she says, “for myself as a person, I like to learn.” When working with a client or a patient, she says it’s about “asking them to take charge of their life, guiding them to that place of self-efficacy, self-empowerment…get in touch with that natural impulse to be well.” It’s about taking charge of their life and the health issue is the trigger to catalyze that decision. “It’s not just about how to quit smoking or change the glycemic index. That’s just the entrance.” “Coaching skills provide the client with a sense of wholeness, coming back to oneself. They learn how to meet the obstacles in life and have the skills to overcome them, transform them. This doesn’t mean they are perfect. But they will not forget anymore that experience of self-empowerment. No money can touch that,” she said. “That is the core essence of my practice going within and listening to the truth within. The voice within.”

Wellcoaches is an accredited program offering American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) continuing education credits and courses. These ACSM continuing education courses are for personal trainers, group exercise instructors, exercise physiologists and people in the field of Sports Medicine who are looking for ACSM recertification and/or to stay current with the latest skills and developments in the Sports Medicine field. We offer online courses in synchronous (virtual classroom) and asynchronous (recorded or self-paced) formats. Earn your ACSM CECs today! Accredited ACSM Continuing Education Courses & Credits Core Coach Training: Module 1 - 46.5 CECs Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction Begin the journey to become a certified health coach and double the impact on your clients. This is the only coach training endorsed by ACSM. Completion of Module 1 (including 100% attendance, completion of all lesson feedback surveys and a score of 80% or greater on quizzes) is required for course completion and to receive a Certificate of Attendance. ​See all upcoming classes. Lesson topics include:​ ​​Differentiating the coach from the expert How to establish growth-promoting relationships Coaching presence Expressing compassion through empathy Building positive emotions for resilience Eliciting motivation Building self-efficacy Readiness to change Building powerful visions Crafting designs for behavior experiments Creating generative (ah-ha!) moments Appreciative goal review Coaching habits e-course "I personally had such an amazing experience, I honestly didn’t want it to end! Thank you for your time and dedication to our training. You created a welcoming and comforting environment for all of us, which I believe was a crucial part of the training success and how we all felt as participants. I am very excited to have had this opportunity and look forward to continuing to grow and expand my knowledge in the coaching area. I also hope to continue working with you!" - Erica Cook, Wellness Program Coordinator, Clinical Exercise Physiologist Wellcoaches Member Classes - 1 CEC/class Only Member classes approved by NBHWC will also be approved by ACSM Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction Cost: $35/month Our Wellcoaches Membership enables you to be well-informed and up-to-date on the latest coaching science, theory and practice so that you are continually upgrading your skills. Each class offers an opportunity to expand your tools and resources while being inspired by thought leaders. Our business development-focused classes prepare coaching entrepreneurs to build their business in alignment with their vision and values. In our Perspectives series we will expand your framework for what it means to be healthy, what it means to be human, and what it means to be a coach for all. This is the easiest and most cost effective way to earn the continuing education credits needed for your Wellcoaches and National Board recertifications! Our Wellcoaches Membership comes with several one-hour classes each month including: 1. Coaching demonstrations 2. Practical coaching skills 3. Business development and start-up 4. Town Hall discussions on hot topics 5. Access archive of more than 80 past member classes. Sample classes: How to Have a Good Day with Caroline Webb How to Uncover What You Are Really Selling with Debbie LaChusa Self-Compassion in Action with Ellen Albertson A "Certificate of Attendance" is provided following class attendance, completion of a feedback survey and a score of 80% or greater on a knowledge assessment. "This is a wonderful program with so many fabulous people. The membership could not have served me better" - Gail Garcia Lifestyle Medicine for Coaches - 21.5 CECs if enrolled prior to 7/1/26 & 16. 5 CECs if enrolled 7/1/26 and after Self-paced, self-directed e-course Lifestyle Medicine Coaches partner with clients seeking self-directed, lasting changes, aligned with their values, which promote health and wellness and, thereby, enhance well-being. They support clients to engage in the practices of lifestyle medicine, such as healthy diet, regular exercise, good sleep and stress management, in order to become healthier and happier. See overview of curriculum and world-renowned faculty. To earn a "Certificate of Attendance", students must view each of the lessons in full, complete the six knowledge assessments with 80% accuracy, and complete a course survey. "Establishing a standard for health coaches in lifestyle medicine will help ensure that crucial information is consistently of the highest caliber. Coaches reach an enormous number of people, and, with standardized training in lifestyle medicine, they'll have an enhanced ability to promote health and prevent disease. The public can be confident that certified coaches are practicing at a high standard and providing evidence-based guidance. Certified Health and Wellness Coaches who specialize in lifestyle medicine will become integral members of the lifestyle medicine practice team, contributing importantly to the treatment and even reversal of disease." - David Katz, MD, MPH, FACPM, FACP, FACLM, Past President of the ACLM Behavior Change Agent - 5.5 CECs Self-paced, self-directed e-course Improve relationships at work and at home by shifting just a few key behaviors. Based on the most important concepts in our full Health and Wellness Coach Training, this abbreviated course is designed to provide you with essential skills needed to have engaging and influential conversations personally and professionally. The course includes six videos (50-60 minutes each) which explore the cultivation of connection, autonomy, self-compassion, positivity, motivation and confidence. The videos include lecture from Wellcoaches Faculty member, Michael Scholtz, as well as student discussions and coaching demonstrations. A "Certificate of Attendance " is provided following course completion, feedback survey and a score of 80% or greater on a knowledge assessment. Wellcoaches Habits - 10 CECs Self-paced, self-directed e-course The 10-hour habits course includes 8 collections of self-paced video lessons to explore common growth edges that hold us back as leaders and professionals, our signposts for new insights and wisdom. The Wellcoaches habits system is designed for any coach, team or organization that aspires to a culture of coaching where everyone is growing and thriving together. The course includes a Habits Library with several collections to choose from. Our collection includes: Behavior Change Communication Connection Leveraging Emotions Cultivating Capacities Burnout Prevention Transformational Leadership The Declipse Technique ™ (preview here) Each habit (70+ habits to choose from) comes with a 5-10 minute video, resources, reminders and tracker. A "Certificate of Attendance " is provided following course completion and feedback survey for all eight content collections. Organize Your Mind - 5.5 CEs Self-paced, self-directed e-course Cost: $165 Our days are so busy and demanding that our minds have trouble keeping up. Almost everyone feels distracted, frenzied, overwhelmed, or disorganized at least some of the time. It has never been more difficult for the brain's CEO region, the prefrontal cortex, to perform at its best. It's under siege by epidemics of distractions, multitasking, and constant pressure, all combined with a brain energy crisis. Our Organize Your Mind® course, built on the bestselling Harvard Health book, Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life, gives you the tools to coach yourself to an organized mind. In this mind organization course, we combine the principles of coaching science, and the research of leading neuroscientists, psychiatrists and psychologists using ground-breaking technology. Organize Your Mind is the online course that will teach you self-coaching techniques that you need to use your brain effectively and efficiently. Our Organize Your Mind® course, building on the bestselling Harvard Health book, Organize Your Mind, Organize Your Life, coaches you to coach yourself to an organized mind... 5 strategies based on brain science 5 steps based on coaching science 5 habits based on self-science This online course is self-paced and can be started, stopped, and restarted anytime. There are six lessons and each lesson has an average of six classes. Each class includes a webinar and exercises, which takes around 15 minutes to complete. You have access to the course for one year, allowing ample time for learning, experimenting with new skills and building new habits. A "Certificate of Attendance " is provided following course completion and feedback survey. "I find myself thinking about which part of my brain I am using during many activities and am involved in throughout the day. It is knowledge I have never had before and it puts me more in touch with my overall self. I foresee that I can help my clients understand where they are imbalanced by spending spending too much time in a specific area of their brain versus others. For example, I anticipate most will spend too much time in the "Executive Control" center and not in the more liberating and creative parts of the brain." - Tony Professional Coach Training - 95 CECs Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction and two on-site sessions Once you have completed our Core Coach Training & Certification program, start making plans to lift your coaching mastery to a galactic orbit with our nine-month advanced Professional Coach Training & Certification Program. This advanced program is specially designed for our Certified Wellcoaches®, or Nationally Board Certified or ICF-ACC/PCC/MCC Coaches only. This program is developing the future leaders of the health and wellness coaching industry. We built and continue to upgrade an innovative, science and neuroscience-based, robust coaching framework we call the "Onward & Upward Model" designed to enable Certified Wellcoaches® to help clients optimize mental and physical well-being. This is a hit-the-ball-out-of-the-park opportunity for Certified Wellcoaches® or Nationally Board Certified or ICF-ACC/PCC/MCC Coaches who want to be masterful coaches. The course includes: Two 2.5 day on-site sessions in January and September each year 32 ninety-minute virtual classes with the ability to practice new tools and skills in class, including 8 group coaching sessions Six private mentor coaching sessions with feedback from coaching masters regarding the application of Wellcoaches protocols and International Coach Federation Competencies A reading list of over 20 carefully chosen books written by scientists and psychologists with a strong evidence basis A "Certificate of Attendance" is provided following class attendance, completion of a feedback surveys and all mentoring sessions. "The great thing about the PCT is not only the professional growth that you get from all of the tools and skills that you learn from all of the mentor coaching, and from all of the great Wellcoaches faculty, but the greatest value is the personal growth. The books that you read and the way that you process all of the new information is truly life-changing and transforming. It makes you a better professional but, more importantly, it makes you a better person." - Noah Gentner, PhD Module 2 - 10 CECs Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction along with numerous e-course offerings. Continue your journey of becoming a certified health coach. Module 2 was created to further deepen coaching skills through demonstration and practice opportunities. Participants will hone in on the specific topics: Organize Your Emotions, Organize Your Mind, Wellness Visions and Generative Moments A "Certificate of Attendance" is provided following class attendance, completion of 4 feedback survey and a score of 80% or greater on all knowledge assessments. . Module 2 PLUS- 8 CECs Attend in our virtual classroom with real-time instruction Module 2 PLUS prepares coaches to support the whole patient by building awareness of mental health conditions, cultural dynamics, and the broader environmental forces that shape health behaviors. Across four courses, coaches will learn to recognize mental health warning signs and make appropriate referrals, develop cultural competence and humility, examine their own biases and assumptions, and explore how Social Determinants of Health and ecological systems influence a patient's perspectives and well-being. Through self-reflection, skill-building, and practical application, coaches will emerge equipped to practice with greater cultural responsiveness, psychological awareness, and respect for each patient's unique lived experience. ACSM Continuing Education Requirements Once course requirements are complete, a Certificate of Attendance will be provided to the student. Participants will use this certificate to report completion of the course to ACSM. Have questions about a course? Your Coach Concierge, assigned by the first letter of your last name, is here to support you: Telephone: (866) 932-6224 (866 WE-COACH) Your Last name A - G: Julie Cummings [ext 712 ] Your Last name H - O: Joanna Thomas [ext 743] Your Last name P - Z: Angela Carter-Lanon [ext 742]

By Eric Kaufmann, Executive Coach www.sagatica.com I, like you, judge myself by my intent. Period. But you, like everyone else, judge me by my impact. So even when I’m well-intended, I can be hurtful or upsetting. It’s just inevitable that I’m going to upset someone, you’ll upset someone, we all upset someone. And because we’re prone to upset and offend someone we’re in relationship with, we’ve collectively invented THE APOLOGY – “I’m sorry!” Given that you’re going to have to apologize to someone sooner or later, or help a coaching client do the same, here’s how to think about making an effective apology that can quickly restore trust and heal hurt feelings. Before we go there, let’s take a quick peek at a few overused non-apologies – statements that sound like an apology, but aren’t apologies at all. If you get to that moment of choosing to apologize, I want to make sure you don’t squander the opportunity with one of these duds. “I’m sorry if I did anything wrong.” What?? This isn’t an apology, it’s conditional, it’s hedging, and it suggests that something went awry because of powers out of your control. You’re not owning the hurtful issue, and you’re even insinuating that you’re the victim here. No good. “I am sorry you think I did something wrong.” This doesn’t even smell like an apology. This is called blame-shifting and you’re moving the blame onto the other; nothing offensive happened, you claim, other than their faulty perspective. “I’m sorry, but everyone else said that I was spot on.” My blood pressure is rising just writing this. But. The word BUT negates whatever comes before it. This is pure excuse-making and doesn’t address the hurt. “I regret that mistakes were made.” No, no, no. This is pure government issue, vacuous, impersonal sidestepping of accountability. Regret isn’t remorse and doesn’t convey any agency or responsibility. You’re saying you’re off the hook for blame. “I know I probably should have checked first.” Almost sounds like an apology, almost. But it ain’t. This is whitewashing – removing the self from remorse, ownership, or even apology. It’s impersonal. Can you be both in relationship AND impersonal? No. You can’t! “You know I would never hurt you on purpose.” Whoa, wait, so because you said this, I shouldn’t feel hurt? Where’s the apology here? Oh, it doesn’t exist. The issue isn't whether this was done on purpose, just that it happened. So now that we’ve wiped away some of the verbal pretenders of apology, let’s check out the components of a meaningful apology: Ownership. Sincerity. Specificity. Remorse. Commitment. Ownership: “I'm sorry for what I did in Monday's meeting. Can we chat about this for a minute?” No excuses or minimization. You own that you did something hurtful. You also extend yourself to connect and address the issue and the hurt. Sincerity: This is a self-awareness moment, do you really mean to apologize? Don’t just do it to ameliorate, to improve your image, or for political gain. People who do this aren’t sincere, they’re self-serving or manipulative. In fact, you may have to wait a bit to apologize until your sincerity is ripe. Specificity: “When I said, right in front of everyone, that you were out of touch and not up to speed on the project, I realize that I embarrassed you.” Use “I” to show that you’re in this, it’s not just academic. Demonstrate that you’re addressing the right issue, that you understand the offense, and that you’re accountable for your actions. You can add some personal reflections, not for making excuses, but to set up the remorse part. “I was feeling boxed in, and I know that wasn't your intent, but I was defensive and I lashed out.” Remorse: "I know how embarrassing this was for you. I feel terrible, and I sincerely apologize." Don’t tiptoe around remorse. You screwed up, take responsibility, and share your emotional regret. Commitment: Commit to doing better, and keep it realistic. Saying, “I’ll never lose my cool again, I swear!” may do you more harm than good in the long run. If you lose your cool again, and chances are you will, then you’ll seem both offensive AND dishonest. Commit by saying what you'll do differently in a similar situation in the future. What’s the bottom line? Keep your apologies real. Don’t go off on a tangent about circumstances and excuses. Don’t psychoanalyze the other person. Don’t quote childhood mistreatments as the impetus for your action. This isn’t about you, it’s about them! I’m not revealing a big secret when I remind you that when you apologize well and on time, you can renew trust, soothe hurt feelings, and heal a damaged relationship. So be ready to apologize, and do it skillfully and from the heart.

Adapted from IOC Research Dose, co-authored by Margaret Moore and Andy Cook titled: What is Goal Flourishing. Introduction Most people find setting goals that involve starting and sustaining new behaviors challenging. Kenneth Nowack’s article titled: Facilitating Successful Behavior Change: Beyond Goal Setting to Goal Flourishing is a terrific resource for coaches. Nowack review issues and best practices in goal intentions, goal striving, and goal flourishing to serve coaches in maximizing client success. Nowack summarizes plenty of interesting research, including neuroscience studies that show “broad and meaningful individual differences in our motivation to try new behaviors, willingness to take risks, and a tendency to seek novel and intense experiences.” Helping clients pursue goals then requires a customized approach. Nowack’s Six Questions on Goals Here are Nowack’s six key questions about goals: What are the key characteristics of goals? What works best to facilitate behavior change? When are clients most motivated? How long does it take for new habits to form? When should people “fold” in goal striving? Does practice make perfect? Question 1: What are the key characteristics of goals? Nowack lays out some key characteristics of goals: Difficulty (easy vs. challenging) – encouraging clients to set challenging goals is more likely to encourage initial readiness to change Proximity of the end state (short term vs. long term) – focus on specific and short-term goals and the steps/behaviors to facilitate progress Number of goals (single vs. multiple) – more than one goal can work as long as they are not in conflict Type (learning vs. performance) – if a client doesn’t have the skills, focus on learning not performance goals. The latter are more stressful when skills aren’t developed. Learning goals also increase commitment, self-efficacy and self-regulation. Motivational mindset (avoidance vs. approach) – avoidance refers to an unwanted outcome, approach is aimed at a desired outcome. Approach goals focus on start doing, doing more, or doing differently, while avoidance goals focus on stopping or doing less. Stopping behaviors or doing less is harder, and the approach mindset is typically more effective. Question 2: What works best? Nowack cites some fascinating research on the limitations of goal intentions: “Most successful coaching engagements involve encouraging our clients to start, increase, decrease, modify, or stop behaviors that contribute to their effectiveness and performance on the job. Goal intentions (e.g., “I want to be a more participative leader”) have been found in a recent meta-analysis to be a weak predictor of acquiring new habits, accounting for only 28% of successful behavior change efforts.” Nowack goes on to point out that “current research suggests that availability and type of social support as well as regulation of emotions are equal to, or even more important than, cognitions in predicting both intention and initiation of new habits.” He then shares what goes wrong in 360-degree feedback in leadership coaching: “One of the purposes of using 360-degree feedback in coaching interventions is to illuminate strengths as well as potential areas for development. Some negative reactions to such feedback might actually be motivating, but neuroscience research provides answers about why “underestimators” (whose self-ratings are more critical than the ratings of their observers) or those who interpret the feedback as judgmental or hurtful are disengaged and lack motivation to change behavior. Interpersonal judgment and social evaluation tend to elicit strong stress reactions, with cortisol levels being elevated 50% longer when the stressor is interpersonal versus impersonal. Individuals who negatively interpret feedback and experience emotional hurt, rejection, and pain tend to have both blunted motivation to initiate behavior change and diminished readiness for creating implementation intentions that are crucial for successful behavior change.” These findings suggest that coaching has an important role in helping clients process their emotional responses to behavior change, improve social support, and help clients welcome, understand and accept feedback as beneficial and growth-promoting. Some other interesting findings: It’s vital to “chunk” long term goals into small, manageable steps. It’s important to experience setbacks early; setbacks that happen when less time remains for goal achievement are more likely to lead to abandoning the goal. Writing out goals, sharing them with others, and communicating with others on progress improves goal success. NOT having a backup plan can improve goal achievement. Given that goal intentions are weak predictors of change, focus on overcoming challenges and make implementation or practice plans. Use the if/then technique – for example “if my heart starts to race, then I will breathe deeply to relax” Question 3: When is motivation highest? Motivation typically follows a U-shaped pattern: motivation is highest at the beginning and end of a goal pursuit rather than in the middle. When clients work toward goals, they monitor their progress in two ways—what they have achieved so far, and how much they have left to do. They switch from the first way, what they have achieved, to the second way, what is left to achieve, about mid-way toward a goal, which decreases motivation. Because beginning and end (vs. middle) positions are often arbitrarily determined, coaches can help clients shorten the “middle” by creating subgoals that are smaller actions with shorter follow-up periods. Question 4: How long does it take to establish new behaviors? Creating new habits requires an abundance of self-control and emotional regulation. Behaviors vary in their complexity and how long they take to reach automaticity, averaging 66 days in one study. Neuroplasticity isn’t established until new behaviors are sustained, emphasizing the importance of dedicated and continuing practice. Question 5: When should you fold in goal striving? When goals are unattainable, out of reach, quitting or folding leads to better well-being as perseverance in the face of too much challenge is stressful and inflammatory. Happier people disengage from failure, don’t ruminate, and re-engage in new goals and activities. Question 6: Does practice make perfect? Nowack summarizes the research: “deliberate practice is a necessary, but not sufficient, condition to explain individual differences in skills, and it appears that more variance is NOT explained by deliberate practice than what is explained by it.” He goes on to say provocatively: “Coaches should encourage clients to practice new skills until they become comfortable and automatic, but they should be cognizant of the limits of deliberate practice in realistically converting “competent jerks” into “loveable stars” on the job. In practical terms, the magnitude of behavior change expected and required by organizations that hire coaches to help employees change behavior may, at times, be both unrealistic and unattainable for some.” Nowack’s 3 E Model Nowack created a practical model based on four bodies of scientific work (theory of planned behavior, social cognitive theory, health-belief model, and goal setting theory) called 3E for – enlighten, encourage, and enable. All of these models conclude that good levels of both motivation and self-efficacy are a critical predictor of successful goal adoption and maintenance. Coaches can help clients fully unpack their sources of motivation, ranging from the highest life values or calling to the simple benefit of “I feel better.” Enlighten stands for: Accurate insight Identify signature strengths Ideal self vs real self Encourage stands for: Motivation Self-efficacy Skill building Goal implementation Enable stands for: Practice plans Reminders Social support Relapse prevention Evaluation Takeaways for coaches Help clients fully unpack all of their sources of motivation, ranging from their most heartfelt life values or calling to the simple benefit of “I feel better.” Help clients create not just goal intentions but address their challenges in implementation plans, to steadily increase confidence. Goals come in different sizes and, like shoes, should fit the client. Help clients optimize the goal time-frame and chunking, decide whether to focus on learning or performance and perhaps focus less on backup plans. Help clients appreciate that failure in accomplishing goals is not a weakness. Terminating pursuit of unrealistic or unattainable goals might prove to be a better strategy for physical health and psychological well-being.

The ideal self is a fluid, fuzzy, desired future drawn from many sources including dreams, fantasies, values, life philosophy, personal strengths, and one’s life and career stage. Going further, unpacking the “ideal” component of the ideal self draws forth clarity around one’s life purpose or calling. In their classic 2006 article, the Ideal Self as the Driver of Intentional Change, Boyatzis and Akrivou open by noting: “Much has been written about the importance of our dreams or aspirations in motivating change and development.” They summarize related research: “From the perspective of positive psychology, the ideal self is a core mechanism for self-regulation and intrinsic motivation.” The authors describe the ideal self as a home for desires, aspirations, dreams, purpose, calling, and hope. The force of the ideal self, when activated, brings clarity and mindfulness, and stimulates motivation, self-monitoring, and focused action toward a new state of being or self-actualization. It serves as a positive emotional attractor which supports self-regulation – making ongoing choices that sacrifice immediate rewards and support longer term aspirations. The authors then expand our thinking by proposing a theoretical model of the “ideal self” – which they define as the driver of intentional change, also a key component of Intentional Change Theory. This model provides a framework for coaching inquiry that we outline in this research dose. Ideal Self as a 3-legged stool The ideal-self theory defines three components that converge to manifest one’s ideal self, a personal vision or image of who you want to be and what you want to accomplish. The three components make a three-legged stool that guides coaching inquiry: 1. Mental image The cognitive leg is a mental image of one’s desired future, a fluid articulation of one’s dreams and aspirations. The images that reflect the ideal self can be novel, or they can amplify or make consistent existing best states. The images of ideal self can also be continually evolving. 2. Core identity The identity leg, largely unconscious and fairly stable, is one’s core identity. The images of ideal self can be unpacked to expand awareness of the variety of identity components implicit in the vision. It’s also vital for the notions of ideal self to be wholistic and inclusive across the full range of one’s life domains. 3. Hope The emotional leg is fueled by hope – how the aspirations are made realistic, aspirations of becoming one’s ideal self or making one’s ideal self a consistent norm. The positive emotions that emerge from the experience of hope are the power source for the journey toward the ideal self. These three legs offer (at least) four directions of coaching inquiry to support the emergence and cultivation of clients’ ideal selves. 1. Envision images of future ideal self The authors see imagining a mental picture as providing the “content” for the ideal self. It is a fluid, fuzzy, desired future drawn from many sources including dreams, fantasies, values, life philosophy, personal strengths, and one’s life and career stage. Envisioning the ideal component of the ideal self draws forth clarity around one’s life purpose or calling, which can also change over time. Similar to using Wellcoaches Vision Tool, this is the process of building clarity around what the client wants and what version of themselves they are working toward. It’s important that the images of ideal self aren’t based on avoiding risk or bad outcomes, which triggers fear and a stress response that inhibits learning. It is also important for people to accept their visions with an open, accepting heart as the authors note “evaluating or judging the worthiness of one’s dreams immediately invokes stress. This results in limiting openness to new ideas and possibilities.” Opportunities for coaching inquiry include: a. help clients use their imaginations to envision the ideal self, which can be new, or can be an existing state that is maintained or made more consistent b. mirror, appreciate, and expand without judgment clients’ emerging mental images of ideal self and ideal c. help clients reflect on the origins and sources of values, passions, purpose, and callings 2. Clarify ideal self as emerging from internal values rather than external social values. Coaches can help clients make an important distinction between their ideal self and their “ought” self, a false version of self that emerges more from external social expectations than internally from one’s own agency, values and purpose. The authors note that it’s important to help clients discern the ideal from the “ought” self as they can ultimately feel frustrated or disappointed if they spend time working toward a version of their best self that is driven by external social forces or internal limitations, rather than their own internally derived values, strengths, and capabilities. Coaching inquiry includes: a. consider the possibility of social values and expectations inherent in professional and personal lives that may pose limitations on visions of ideal self b. explore the extent to which visions might reflect any self-biases or limitations c. unpack any internalized oppressions including racism or sexism 3. Help clients connect their ideal self to identity The authors describe one’s core identity as a relatively stable compilation of motives, roles, identity groups, habits, socialization, and other personality and character traits that give rise to individuals in their current context. Clients can feel low levels of control over shifting these, often subconscious, components of their identities. Their identities have the “leash,” controlling degrees of freedom and opportunities. The authors note that generating awareness and articulation of a client’s identity components, that contribute both resources and opportunities for change, helps anchor a clear starting point for the journey toward a desired future. A clear starting point improves clarity and interest; it also provides direction for new experiments that may generate learning and shifts. As a result, coaches have plenty of inquiry possibilities: a. expand a client’s self-awareness of their identities through assessments, self-observation, and reflection b. unpack the role of their identity components in their visions of ideal and ideal self c. explore how components of identity can be resources or opportunities for learning and growth d. consider how the ideal self can be applied and be coherent across most or all personal and professional life domains e. continually expand awareness of their visions of ideal self 4. Cultivate hope, efficacy and optimism around realizing the ideal self When a client gets in touch with a desired future emerging from internal values and purpose, it can elicit a mix of new emotions. A coaching opportunity is to explore how the envisioned ideal self can first be supported by amplifying positive emotions, particularly the experience of hope. The authors note that “hope emerges when efficacy merges with optimism.” In other words, one’s dreams go to sleep if they feel out of reach, making it important for coaches to explore diverse and creative ways to improve a client’s efficacy and optimism. A key focus is on amplifying the positive – for example, drawing out confidence-boosting strengths, past successes, along with internal and external resources. A client’s negative emotions that might emerge around considering their ideal self may signal what is reducing confidence, optimism and hope, and nicely surface growth opportunities. Coaches can help clients cultivate a growth mindset by appreciating that gaps between current and future mindsets and skills are interesting and valuable opportunities to grow. The growth mindset becomes a bridge of hope, from today’s self to the future ideal self. Coaching inquiry to consider: a. Explore positive emotions and negative emotions that emerge from the exploration of the client’s ideal self. b. Use motivational interviewing rulers to help clients self-assess on a scale of 1-10 their levels of confidence, optimism, and hope. Explore what a 10/10 would look like and possible ways to improve ratings to a 7/10 or above. c. Unpack all of the potential sources of confidence, optimism, and hope in becoming or sustaining the ideal self. d. Ask the client to describe a growth mindset for themselves. e. Explore opportunities for learning and growth on the journey to ideal self. Takeaways for coaches 1. Coaches have the opportunity to be role models and envision and process fully our own future ideal selves. 2. Help clients “dream big” through nonjudgmental inquiry and reflection that expands possibilities. The use of Wellcoaches Vision Tool helps guide clients to looking outside their current reality into what they'd like to create in their work with a coach. 3. Help clients uncover external social expectations or other limitations which may lead them away from their true compass of values and purpose. 4. Help clients complete a full process of “ideal selfing” including envisioning, unpacking identity components of the ideal self, integrating the ideal self into all life domains, and generating efficacy, optimism, and hope as fuel for the journey. Citation Boyatzis, R. E., & Akrivou, K. (2006). The ideal self as the driver of intentional change. Journal of management development. IOC Resources from Richard Boyatzis

I’ve just finished reading a great book, and I’m making my way through another at the moment (which will take a whole year – you’ll see why shortly). The book I’ve just finished is “Every tool’s a Hammer” by Adam Savage - yep, the Mythbusters guy. The subtitle of the book is “Life is what you make it”. It’s superficially autobiographical but at a deeper level, it’s a book about how to live. One of the valuable lessons he discusses is the idea of “learning by doing poorly.” This approach allows for mistakes to be made and in some ways almost redefines the idea of “mistake” as simply a “step along the way to greater understanding”. It’s a valuable characteristic for anybody, particularly for leaders. The book that will take me a whole year to read is “The Daily Stoic – 366 meditations on wisdom, perseverance and the art of living”, by Ryan Holiday. It was a recommendation from a physician colleague and I’m very grateful to him. If you don’t know a great deal about the school of philosophy called Stoicism, I’d encourage you to explore. The principles of Stoicism include accepting what’s out of your control, managing your inner life (emotions) effectively, preparing for contingencies and allowing failure to occur in our lives. People often think of stoicism as meaning “emotionless”. But this mischaracterizes stoicism. The philosophy and its practice are really about being measured, considered and mindful in our daily lives. The world desperately needs leaders – not titular leaders, but those with the capacity to nourish themselves and cultivate in others, their own strengths, visions and values. Those who are trained in the skills of coaching - to be compassionate, empathetic, joyful, respectful, and to listen deeply, are those with the capacity to lead and inspire. The 35th US President John F Kennedy was scheduled to speak in Dallas, Texas on 22 November 1963. He never delivered the speech, but it had been prepared. He was due to say this: “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other”. Wellcoaches will continue to be a place where skills, not only of coaching, but true leadership, can be cultivated.

To set goals or not set goals, that is the question. The answer from a study of external executive coaching for a group of corporate leaders is that for coachees, facilitative coaching showed similar outcomes to goal-setting coaching. Note: This article was published by the Institute of Coaching on March 14, 2021. Join Institute of Coaching using the Wellcoaches Sponsor discount. Introduction Coaches want to provide the best to their clients, applying the most effective tool for the moment. This month, let’s focus on a randomized controlled study that compares the two most common coaching processes – goal setting process and facilitation process, led by article author Janette Williams. Williams co-authored the 2018 article describing the study, titled: The Efficacy of Executive Coaching: An empirical investigation of two approaches using random assignment and a switching-replications design. While the study focused on executive coaching, the results are relevant to health and wellness coaching. Williams and Lowman (department Chair) co-authored the 2018 article describing the study, titled: The Efficacy of Executive Coaching: An empirical investigation of two approaches using random assignment and a switching-replications design. Coaching interventions A 2009 survey of executive-coaching practices identified seven approaches most used in coaching, and the first two were selected for the study, as the most frequently used and familiar to experienced coaches: 1. process/facilitation-oriented 2. goal setting/goal-focused behavior modification 3. cognitive–behavioral 4. neurolinguistics programming 5. psychoanalytic/dynamic 6. skills training The coaching intervention was four one-hour sessions over 4-6 weeks delivered by 16 external, professional coaches (11 females, 5 males) with formal psychological training at the master’s or PhD levels. Coaches had at least two years of coaching experience and were paid $75 per session. The coaching protocol was manualized to standardize the coaching sessions. Coaches completed six hours of training and practice of the two coaching approaches – goal-focused and process-oriented. The coaches confirmed the integrity of the coaching approach by answering four “process integrity” questions via online survey after each coaching session. A goal-focused question was “I help my coachee identify and set realistic and challenging goals.” A process-focused question was: “I tailor my own approach to fit the preferences and needs of the coachee.” Each participant selected one of eight leadership competencies (sourced from the organization’s performance management system) as the coaching objective, which was agreed with their supervisor. The eight competencies to select from were: 1. Provides strategic perspectives 2. Inspires and motivates, energizes team to achieve goals 3. Drives for results, sets high standards of excellence 4. Collaborates, promotes high level of cooperation 5. Walks the walk, demonstrates honesty and integrity 6. Develops others, sponsors employee development 7. Builds relationships, stays in touch with employee issues and concerns 8. Demonstrates courage, not shying away from conflict Outcomes measurement The overall leadership behaviors were measured using the Leadership Practices Inventory (LPI) that has been administered to more than 3 million people. The LPI addresses five dimensions, each with six items, totaling 30 questions: 1. Model the way 2. Inspire a shared vision 3. Challenge the process 4. Enable others to act 5. Encourage the heart The LPI results were not shared with coachees; they were used only to measure the benefit of coaching as rated by the coachees and supervisors. Research design The study included 64 mid to senior leaders (50/50 female and male) in a multi-billion dollar corporation who agreed to participate in the research, of which 23% had received executive coaching in the past. The 39 direct supervisors (15 females, 24 males) also agreed to participate and rate their direct reports. Most of the coachees and supervisors held bachelor’s degrees or higher and four or more years of management experience. The study methodology is complex: 1. A single-blind procedure was implemented, which means that the participants and supervisor were not aware of the two coaching approaches or the research goals. 2. There were two study phases and four groups – in the first phase, two groups got the two coaching approaches (half got one approach and half got the other approach), and two groups acted as a control with no coaching. 3. In the second phase, the participants switched roles, the two groups who got coaching now got no coaching, and the two groups who served as the control group in the first phase, received the two coaching approaches (again half got one approach and half got the second approach). 4. A pre-coaching LPI assessment was given to all participants and supervisors, and the assessment was repeated twice - at the end of the first phase and 5 weeks after the end of the second phase. Study Results The coachee ratings showed an increase in leadership competencies and behaviors for the coaching groups and not for the control groups. As rated by the supervisors, there was improvement, but it was not statistically significant. There was no significant difference between the approaches of goal-focused and process-oriented coaching on leadership competencies or behaviors as rated by the coachees. Furthermore, there were no differences between the two approaches in the post-coaching follow-up. Not surprisingly, the study limitations include the short duration of the coaching intervention and the two phases, and the low number of coaching sessions. Changes in coachee behavior may not have been fully developed or observable by supervisors at five weeks after four coaching sessions. The LPI didn’t precisely align with the single coaching goal set by coachees and agreed with their supervisors. Last, in the real world, coaches would typically adjust coaching processes to meet coachee needs, often alternating between goal-focused and process-focused approaches, a hybrid approach. Takeaways for Coaches 1. While the coaching program was brief, a reasonable conclusion is that coaches can combine goal-oriented sessions with process-oriented sessions without compromising coaching outcomes. 2. It is helpful for coaches to ask clients which process might work best for each session or the overall program, focusing on goals or process. CITATION: Williams, J. S., & Lowman, R. L. (2018). The efficacy of executive coaching: An empirical investigation of two approaches using random assignment and a switching-replications design. Consulting Psychology Journal: Practice and Research, 70(3), 227–249.

Abraham Maslow described peak experiences as ‘something like mystic experiences, moments of great awe, moments of the most intense happiness or even rapture, ecstasy or bliss or pure, positive happiness when all doubts, all fears, all inhibitions, all tensions, all weaknesses, were left behind. Peak Coaching Moments While there is an abundance of stressful or low moments for all of us in pandemic time, coaches are also experiencing peak moments in coaching. What is a peak coaching moment? Czech authors Honsová and Jarošová published a lovely qualitative paper on peak coaching experiences (2018). Here are the bottom lines. First, what is a peak experience? The authors note that the construct of peak experience was introduced by Abraham Maslow. Originally Maslow hypothesized that only self-actualized people have peak experiences. Later he concluded that most people have peak experiences, which was confirmed further in a later study. The authors note: Maslow described peak experience in the whole life context as ‘something like mystic experiences, moments of great awe, moments of the most intense happiness or even rapture, ecstasy or bliss’ or ‘pure, positive happiness when all doubts, all fears, all inhibitions, all tensions, all weaknesses, were left behind,’ or simpler – moments of highest happiness and fulfillment. Other peak-like phenomena that while all being positive subjective experience, are distinct including: 1. Peak experience – unusual experiences that create intensely positive emotions or high intensity of perception. Can be triggered by wild nature, music, and learning a new language. 2. Peak performance – a superior use of human potential, transcending expectation, in efficiency, productivity, or creativity. 3. Flow – immersion in an enjoyable activity. 4. Peak learning experience – vivid and memorable learning experiences. 5. Plateau experience – a serene and calm state. Peak experiences have a variety of triggers, can happen unexpectedly, and are often not brought at will. They happen in several areas – family, children and friends, other relationships, and work. Even though they can be brief or elusive, they tend to prevail in our memories. They can influence our futures and change how we view ourselves and the world. They can have permanent effects including improving self-esteem, relationships or optimism. Now, what is a peak coaching experience? The researchers interviewed 18 coachees, senior managers at a large Czech bank going through extensive organizational change, using the Life Story Interview method, adapted for the coaching context. The coachees were asked: Please describe a scene, episode, or moment in your coaching that stands out as an especially positive – peak experience. The researchers conducted a thematic analysis, compiling the data, disassembling into labelled themes, and then reassembled into themes – summarized next: 1. Moments of insight Some coachees reported the peak experience as the moment of insight: ‘the moment of revelation or seeing the root cause of something which I wasn’t able to find or change.’ (read page 5/6 for more quotes) 2. Moments of relief or release Some coachees reported moments or relief, tension release, and calming down: ‘I mentally convinced myself that I am here for this, and that I am not looking for anything else.’ (read page 6 for more quotes) 3. Moments of mindfulness Some coachees reported moments of mindfulness or awareness as a result of a coach’s techniques for mindfulness or meditation: ‘we went through a journey in a meditation and suddenly I felt as if I could overcome this with much more ease..I was taken aback that something like this could happen.’ 4. New perspectives from external models Some coachees found models using drawing or graphics, or tokens or bricks to help visualize an external situation: ‘the feeling of excitement and joy..some kind of realization of the situation through the visualization she used.” The authors conclude: “Our research shows that the key benefits of coaching might not lie only in what comes after coaching (e.g. leadership style change, stress reduction or enhanced self-efficacy) but also in the experience lying in the coaching process itself. Each of the participants associated their coaching experience to unique positive experiences, many of which were connected to learning and growing…” WHAT’S IN IT FOR COACHES? 1. Ask your clients to share their peak coaching experiences with you. 2. Track and journal peak coaching experiences for you and your clients. 3. Experiment with new techniques to generate insights, releases, mindfulness, and new perspectives. Reference Honsová, P., & Jarošová, E. (2019). Peak coaching experiences. Coaching: An International Journal of Theory, Research and Practice, 12(1), 3-14. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17521882.2018.1489867

Introduction It goes without saying that a top societal priority right now is caring for the workforce caring for people sick with COVID. The safety and well-being of healthcare workers is crucial, noted authors from the Stanford Medicine system in a January 2021 NEJM Catalyst article. As an early pandemic hotspot, the Stanford system witnessed the extreme demands on the workforce and quickly made workforce well- being their highest priority. They defined their leadership values as connection, collaboration, and caring. New structures were formed to address worker well-being with an intense focus on staffing, staff testing and care if they were infected, the PPE supply chains, infection risk, and safe integration of elective procedures and visits. To address the workers psychological concerns and needs, the authors noted: “To learn about the unique needs of individual health care workers, we entered into discussions using Schein’s “humble inquiry,” a concept that emphasizes asking and listening, rather than telling. Because the pandemic was unpredictable in so many ways and anxiety levels were high among many providers and workers, we recognized the importance of strengthening relationships and generating solutions and new ideas from the front lines.The practice of humble inquiry facilitates these outcomes, and we were able to learn many important lessons and gain important insights by hearing what the frontline teams had to share.” “Furthermore, we were able to provide opportunities through individual conversations and focus groups for deliberate reflection about experiences related to the pandemic, in an effort to foster learning and post-traumatic growth.” This case study is helpful in the context of a new scientific review explored next on how best to support healthcare workers during the pandemic, which concludes that this endeavor is not yet supported by an evidence base to guide healthcare leaders. What does the research say on supporting frontline workers during a disease epidemic? Research on disease epidemics on an individual country or global scale has shown that health care workers are at risk for short- and long-term mental health problems. The World Health Organization (WHO) warns that depression, anxiety, stress and additional cognitive and social problems are all possible effects on frontline staff. Alex Polluck and collaborators in Scotland, in conjunction with the Cochrane Library- the leading journal and database in health care for systematic reviews - got to work in May 2020 to conduct a rapid “Cochrane Review” on the question: What interventions support or deplete resilience and mental well-being in frontline workers during a disease outbreak? They published their article in November 2020 titled: Interventions to support the resilience and mental health of frontline health and social care professionals during and after a disease outbreak, epidemic or pandemic: a mixed methods systematic review. The bottom line: “There is a lack of evidence from studies carried out during or after disease outbreaks, epidemics or pandemics that can inform the selection of interventions that are beneficial to the resilience and mental health of frontline health and social care professionals. Alternative sources of evidence, such as evidence arising from other healthcare crises, and general evidence relating to the effectiveness of interventions to support mental well‐being during stressful situations, should therefore be used to inform decision making. The mental health and resilience of frontline workers could be supported during disease epidemics by workplace interventions to support basic daily needs, psychological support interventions, pharmacological interventions, or a combination of any or all of these.” Cochrane review description The authors addressed two objectives in their literature review: Objective 1: assess the effects of interventions to support the healthcare workforce The study gathered quantitative evidence from randomized trials, non-randomized trials, controlled before-after studies and interrupted time series studies, investigating the effect of any intervention to support mental health or resilience. Objective 2: identify facilitators and barriers that may impact interventions to support healthcare workforce The study gathered qualitative evidence from studies that described facilitators and barriers to the implementation of interventions during or after a disease outbreak. The review process, following the rigorous Cochrane review methods, identified 16 studies from 2002 to May 28, 2020, describing interventions to support resilience or mental health of mainly physicians and nurses during disease outbreaks including SARS, Ebola, MERS, and COVID-19. Interventions were mainly workplace-based including training, structure and communication, psychological support, and multifaceted interventions. The 16 studies measured a variety of outcomes of the interventions: General Mental Health (3 measures) Resilience (6 measures) Psychological symptoms of anxiety (6 measures) Depression (3 measures) Stress (3 measures) Burnout (2 measures) Effects on workplace staffing (2 measures) Mental health disorders caused by distressing events (6 measures) The strategies in the studies included: rotating workers from high to low stress roles, partnering workers of different experience levels, including work breaks and flexible schedules, and enabling social support. Research Findings In addressing the first objective, only one study (during Ebola) investigated the impact of an intervention. Frontline staff were trained to deliver psychological first aid, including to patients and their families, as a way to reduce their own burnout. The study was deemed inconclusive. For the second objective, there were four factors with moderate confidence (none with high confidence) serving as facilitators to implementation: 1. Interventions were flexible, culturally appropriate, and could be tailored and adapted for the needs of a local area. 2. Effective communication was delivered, formal and informal, to improve team cohesion and resilience. 3. Positive, safe, and supportive learning environments were provided for frontline workers. 4. Good education on the intervention - the knowledge and beliefs of frontline workers about an intervention can help (or hinder) the intervention. There were two factors serving as barriers to implementation with moderate confidence levels: 1. Insufficient awareness by one or both of the workers and their organizations of what frontline workers needed, as well as their available resources, to support their mental well-being. 2. The intervention was limited by resource constraints such as a lack of equipment, staff time or skills needed for implementation. In the absence of robust findings in the literature, the authors offer the below set of questions that may support the selection and implementation of helpful interventions. Selecting an intervention Is the intervention flexible, with the ability to be tailored to meet local needs? Are the needs and resources of the frontline workers known (known to the frontline workers and to their employers/organizations)? Planning organizational factors Are there effective networks of communication (both formal and social networks)? Is there a positive, safe and supportive learning environment for the frontline workers (for example, for learning new skills related to caring for patients with the disease)? Is there adequate resourcing, including necessary equipment, staff time and skills, for the intervention? Individual characteristics of frontline staff Do frontline staff have adequate knowledge relating to, and belief in, the intervention? Other considerations emerged from the review: Organization Strategic planning prior to implementation of an intervention or changes to practice Complexity of the intervention (low‐complexity interventions maybe easier to implement) Intervention costs and associated costs of implementing the intervention Education, training and access to information for frontline workers about the intervention Confidence of people delivering the intervention Individual personal characteristics of workers, such as attitudes and motivation Meaningful engagement of, and collaborations with, people involved in the delivery of the intervention, and opinion leaders who can champion the intervention Providing frontline workers with opportunities to reflect on the implementation of an intervention Societal Organizational incentives and rewards for frontline workers may facilitate engagement in the intervention Government and political leaders' awareness of mental health needs of frontline workers Networking and coordination of different relevant organizations Takeaways for Coaches The experience of Stanford Medicine published by NEJM Catalyst along with the Cochrane Review conclusions support a coaching approach to helping frontline workers improve or maintain their well-being under extreme and often traumatizing demands. On the optimal outcome, the Standard authors note: “Rather than using a crisis-management approach to restore the organization back to normal functioning after the pandemic, our goal is to achieve a higher level of functioning as a result of addressing and learning from adversity.” Here are some tips for coaches that serve healthcare leaders and workers: 1. Engage in open, humble inquiry that raises self-awareness and organizational awareness of individual and team needs and resources, and also generates ideas and insights on how to address these needs. 2. Provide opportunities to reflect and process experiences well in order to uncover a path to learning and post-traumatic growth. And for all Coaches: Step up in your community to show deep gratitude and support the needs of healthcare workers including meals, transportation, child-care, small gifts, and anything else you think would be helpful and appreciated. Citations Frush, K., Lee, G., Wald, S. H., Hawn, M., Krna, C., Holubar, M., ... & Maldonado, Y. (2020). Navigating the Covid-19 Pandemic by Caring for Our Health Care Workforce as They Care for Our Patients. NEJM Catalyst Innovations in Care Delivery, 2(1). Pollock, A., Campbell, P., Cheyne, J.,Cowie, J., Davis,B., McCallum, J., ... & Torrens, C. (2020). Interventions to support the resilience and mental health of frontline health and social care professionals during and after a disease outbreak, epidemic or pandemic: a mixed methods systematic review. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, (11).